Peaceful Reflection
by Super Sheba
Summary: One-shot for Empress Dotdotdot's contest. His heart is that of a young man, yet his age is great in his Lemurian being. Can his love for a girl far younger than he overcome the turned back of society?


**Peaceful Reflection**

As a child, I was always told the significance of age within any sort of relationship.  Strange how something you grow up on could become so irrelevant so quickly.  Perhaps it was a cultural ideal, or maybe it was the thought of one being left alone without his or her spouse for years, bringing parents to instill their wisdom within the souls of their children, protecting them from the cruel emotion of sorrowful loss.  Being a Lemurian, I will most likely live for hundreds of years, most outliving any of my normal human friends whose lives will probably never pass the grand old age of 93 years.  Society always found this single characteristic a fault unforgivable, though it could never be controlled by any person, for it was a fact of nature, yet still my people withheld our existence form the outside world.  Anyone not of the Lemurian race was considered an outsider, and not allowed into the civilization of Lemuria.  Hardly ever did someone leave Lemuria, and each person to do so would almost never return, exiled from his homeland for becoming connected with a people not his own.  So despised was any marriage outside of the Lemurian people, that this "horror" was never spoken of, an intangible law that was silently embedded into the mind of every Lemurian without his or her knowing.  Had I never quested outside of my native land to study the condition of Weyard and its degradation, I too would have fallen prey to the senseless laws and foolishness my people so steadfastly clung too, but rather, my heart fell into the hands of a young woman whose name was honey to my lips, encompassing me in an inexplicable joy that freed me from the cares and worries of everyday life. 

I remember the first time I saw her in all of her glory, covered in dust as she strut about sneakily around a wall, attempting to retrieve something that belonged to her.  Of all the moments my gaze has dwelt upon her beauty, her dust covered appearance was in my mind the time in which she looked the most beautiful.  It was rather amusing to watch her act as a spy, slinking like a cat as she watched anxiously over the men who had stolen her staff, but soon her slender body slipped from my view, for I was in a jail cell, incapable of escaping those bars.  A short time of planning would have allowed me to figure out means of escape, but I was far too content watching the antics of the young woman in pursuit of the ruffians who had absconded with her weapon.  Of course the girl had a spare weapon for protection, but from the look on her face I could tell she loved that staff like a child.  She never did have her staff returned to her, for she and her friends became too involved in having me freed to care about her lost staff.  Her generosity and caring nature had amazed me, for it was she who had convinced her comrades that my freedom was worthy of their time.  When I had again attained my freedom, I purchased her a brand new, even greater staff, for which I had received her name, Sheba, and a kiss upon the cheek.  Even after I had left for my travels, knowing I would never see Sheba again, my heart prayed that somehow by chance our paths would again cross. 

My wish was granted, but not fully until they arrived by some twist of fate in Lemuria, where together, her party and I spoke with King Hydros of Weyard's seemingly doomed destiny.  Hydros listened to us, and believed us strongly, but his word could not persuade the high council to allow me to stay in Lemuria even after I had helped to report upon a grave condition that had needed to be made known.  Somehow though, save leaving my dead mother's grave, never again to see it, I was happy to leave, having been invited to join Sheba in her group's quest.  I had accepted eagerly, Sheba's mischievous smile engraved into my memories, and had at once found myself speaking with her.  She went so far as to ask my age, yet this did not dampen the longing for friendship with her that beat within my heart.  Rather, I had laughed deeply, and told her perhaps someday when she was older than I that I would tell her.  This had brought a flush to her face as she had turned her back to my face and left me disappointedly, but I knew she couldn't stay mad for long.  Somehow, no matter what happened, we always remained close until the end when families reunited and the Mars Lighthouse was lit.  We stood together, our arms around each other smiling as our friends were finally able to again see their families.  We were alone, yet at the same time completely happy because we had each other, though neither of us realized it at the time.  Sheba was the shining star in my life, though I doubt she knew it at the time.

One morning, Sheba was rather quiet, her golden locks blown softly by the wind as she sat atop Isaac's roof as she watched the sun's vermillion form appear in the blushing sky, her bright smile missing from her face.  I could see it in her deep green eyes that she was troubled, and silently ascended the ladder to the straw rooftop, avoiding the weak spots where Garet had klutzily fallen through.  Allowing my legs to fall into a seated position next to her, I rested my hand upon her shoulder, hoping it would comfort her in the obvious confusion eating at her ravenously.  She turned to me and gazed seriously into my pale eyes, resting her palm upon my chest, my own hand reaching to brush the hair out of her eyes.

"Picard?" Sheba asked quietly as her gaze soon averted to her feet, no longer able to look me in the eye.  "Have you ever felt something where you know it's wrong, yet at the same time you know nothing could be more right than that feeling?"

"Sheba…" I replied with a whisper, pulling her closer to me and intertwining her fingers with mine. 

"It's just that, for months I've felt so strongly for someone, yet I know it can't be right." she answered with a quavering voice.  "He and I are so different.  We come from different lives, cultures, and he's far too old for me.  I want to be able to embrace him, feel the warmth of his arms around me, but I cannot bear to disgrace myself or him."

"Who ever told you difference could be wrong?" I asked soothingly as I wrapped my strong arms around her and held her tightly.  "I've battled with myself saying these same things, yet I know right now that cannot be wrong.  Just holding you brings my soul to speak to me louder than any ancient rule could ever counter."

"W...what?" questioned Sheba with a stutter.  "What do you mean?"

"Since the day I met you Sheba, I've yearned for your companionship, but that feeling quickly grew." I explained, placing my hand below her chin so that her eyes would gaze into mine.  "Something inside my head told me loving you was wrong, yet just being with you allows my heart to sing with joy.  How can anything that brings me so much pleasure and joy be wrong?  Is it possible for love to be wrong?  Sheba, I love you, and nothing can change that, whether people look down upon me for it or not."

"Picard, I love you too." Sheba said as she buried her face into my shoulder and clung to my tunic.  "Promise me you always will…"

"Sheba, could anything that brings me so much happiness ever end?" I said lovingly as my lips found her delicate hand and began to voraciously graze the flesh of her arm.  "Darling, my love is eternal, and nothing shall ever destroy it.  Nothing."

Smiling, Sheba let her body lean comfortably against me as together we watched the dawn take its leave and the cerulean sky begin to parade its gown through the puffy clouds.  I could feel her breathing settle, and looked down to see the marvel of her pretty eyelashes caressing her cheeks, an overjoyed look written across her face.  There was no need for her to open her eyes, for I could see into her without such an action.  Within her being was a subdued peace that could never leave; a peace that only true love could give.

Update: I forgot to put this in the original fic XD.  This may be a Picard/Sheba fic, but I am a steadfast lighthouseshipper.  Just so I have everything for the contest.


End file.
